Bianka. Source: https://biankakucelin.wordpress.com/

By Dena Mellick, Associate editor

Kirkwood is remembering a young resident who passed away a year ago from cancer.

Five-year-old Bianka Kucelin lost her battle with a rare, aggressive form of brain cancer on July 29, 2015.

The community had rallied behind Bianka and her family as she fought a supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor, a condition that only affects about 30 kids each year. Doctors discovered the tumor in February 2014.

On Friday, the Kirkwood restaurant Le Petit Marche posted a message on its Facebook page that said every July 29 will be “Bianka Day” and 10 percent of sales will be donated to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an organization working to eradicate childhood cancer.

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A link to a donation page for St. Baldrick’s was also provided. The page said Bianka “touched us all with her grace, joy, spunk, beauty and spirit.” It described her as a shining light and said, “Bianka spent her last few weeks surrounded by loved ones, meeting princesses, going on motorcycle rides, and feeling the beachy sand between her toes. She died peacefully at home with her family on July 29, 2015. Her incredible spirit has forever transformed all around her.”

Bianka’s mother, Ana Kucelin told Decaturish in 2014 that the community had done much more than just donating financially to Bianka’s cause. Kucelin said Marchet Sparks, the owner of Le Petit Marche, made her therapy dog, Happy, available to Bianka whenever she wanted. Kucelin said a neighbor would watch her other children during hospital stays while others brought the family groceries.

Decaturish contributor Kim Hutcherson contributed to this story. 

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